FC Barcelona

Full name	Futbol Club Barcelona
Nickname(s)	Barça Culés (or Culers) Blaugrana (Blue-Maroon)
Founded	29 November 1899 (as Foot-Ball Club Barcelona)
Ground	Camp Nou, Barcelona (Capacity: 98,772)
Chairman	Joan Laporta
Head Coach	Josep Guardiola
League	La Liga
2007-08	La Liga, 3rd
Home colours Away colours
Current season

Futbol Club Barcelona (Catalan IPA: [fuδˈβɔɫ ˌklup bəɾsəˈlonə], Spanish IPA: [ˈfutβol ˌkluβ baɾθeˈlona]), known familiarly as Barça (Spanish IPA: [ˈbaɾsa], Catalan IPA: [ˈbaɾsə]), is a sports club based in Barcelona, Spain. It is best known for its football team, which was founded in 1899 by a group of Swiss, English, and Catalan men led by Joan Gamper. The club has become a Catalan institution, hence the motto Més que un club (More than a club). Football club names are a part of the sports culture, reflecting century-old traditions. ... is the 333rd day of the year (334th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1899 (MDCCCXCIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday [1] of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... This article is about the building type. ... The Camp Nou (IPA: , Catalan for new field, often called the Nou Camp in both Spanish and English, sometimes erroneously spelt newcamp in English) is an association football stadium in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. ... Location Coordinates : Time Zone : CET (GMT +1) - summer: CEST (GMT +2) General information Native name Barcelona (Catalan) Spanish name Barcelona Nickname Ciutat Comtal (City of Counts) Postal code 08001–08080 Area code 34 (Spain) + 93 (Barcelona) Website http://www. ... Rungnado May Day Stadium is the worlds largest football stadium. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... Joan Laporta i Estruch (born June 29, 1962 in Barcelona, Spain) is the president of Futbol Club Barcelona since 2003. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... Josep Guardiola Sala, pron. ... (Professional Football League), commonly known as the Primera División or simply La Liga or Liga BBVA[1], is the top professional football league in Spain. ... UD Almería Athletic Bilbao Atlético Madrid FC Barcelona Betis Deportivo de La Coruña RCD Espanyol Getafe CF Levante UD RCD Mallorca Murcia CA Osasuna Racing de Santander Real Madrid Recreativo de Huelva Sevilla FC Valencia CF Valladolid Villarreal CF Zaragoza La Liga 2007-08 season, the 77th... Image File history File links left arm of kit template File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... football kit with red half (II) File links The following pages link to this file: Paraná Clube Template talk:Football kit Template:Football kit/pattern list User:Johan Elisson/football kits Categories: GFDL images | Football kit templates ... rightarm of kit template File links The following pages link to this file: Arsenal F.C. Ajax Amsterdam AZ Alkmaar A.S. Roma Torino Calcio A.C. Milan ACF Fiorentina Bristol City F.C. Charlton Athletic F.C. Chievo Verona Chelsea F.C. England national football team Wikipedia:WikiProject Football... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... socks of kit template File links The following pages link to this file: Arsenal F.C. Ajax Amsterdam AZ Alkmaar A.S. Roma Torino Calcio A.C. Milan ACF Fiorentina Bristol City F.C. Charlton Athletic F.C. Chievo Verona Chelsea F.C. England national football team Wikipedia:WikiProject Football... It has been suggested that replica shirt be merged into this article or section. ... Image File history File links left arm of kit template File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... rightarm of kit template File links The following pages link to this file: Arsenal F.C. Ajax Amsterdam AZ Alkmaar A.S. Roma Torino Calcio A.C. Milan ACF Fiorentina Bristol City F.C. Charlton Athletic F.C. Chievo Verona Chelsea F.C. England national football team Wikipedia:WikiProject Football... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... socks of kit template File links The following pages link to this file: Arsenal F.C. Ajax Amsterdam AZ Alkmaar A.S. Roma Torino Calcio A.C. Milan ACF Fiorentina Bristol City F.C. Charlton Athletic F.C. Chievo Verona Chelsea F.C. England national football team Wikipedia:WikiProject Football... It has been suggested that replica shirt be merged into this article or section. ... Image File history File links Soccerball_current_event. ... Catalan IPA: (català IPA: or []) is a Romance language, the national language of Andorra, and a co-official language in the Spanish autonomous communities of Balearic Islands, Catalonia and Valencia, and in the city of LAlguer in the Italian island of Sardinia. ... Catalan IPA: (català IPA: or []) is a Romance language, the national language of Andorra, and a co-official language in the Spanish autonomous communities of Balearic Islands, Catalonia and Valencia, and in the city of LAlguer in the Italian island of Sardinia. ... A sports club, athletics club or sports association is an eclectic institution oriented to multiple sports, which fields many teams and in several sports, working under the same umbrella organization. ... Location Coordinates : Time Zone : CET (GMT +1) - summer: CEST (GMT +2) General information Native name Barcelona (Catalan) Spanish name Barcelona Nickname Ciutat Comtal (City of Counts) Postal code 08001–08080 Area code 34 (Spain) + 93 (Barcelona) Website http://www. ... Soccer redirects here. ... For other uses, see England (disambiguation). ... This article is about the Spanish Autonomous Community. ... Joan Gamper (born Winterthur, Switzerland, November 22, 1877, died July 30, 1930, Switzerland) also known as Joan Kamper, Hans Gamper and Hans Kamper) was a football pioneer, player and club president. ... This article is about the Spanish Autonomous Community. ... ‘Més que un club’ (more than a club) is the motto of FC Barcelona, a football club based in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. ...

They were founding members of La Liga in 1928, and, together with Madrid and Athletic Bilbao, they have never been relegated from the top division. The club were also the first La Liga champions, winning a total of 18 La Liga, 24 Copa del Rey, 11 Supercopa de España, 2 UEFA Champions League, 4 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup, 3 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup and 2 European Super Cup trophies. (Professional Football League), commonly known as the Primera División or simply La Liga or Liga BBVA[1], is the top professional football league in Spain. ... Real Madrid redirects here. ... Athletic Club is a Spanish football club from Bilbao in Biscay, Basque Country, Spain. ... (Professional Football League), commonly known as the Primera División or simply La Liga or Liga BBVA[1], is the top professional football league in Spain. ... (Professional Football League), commonly known as the Primera División or simply La Liga or Liga BBVA[1], is the top professional football league in Spain. ... Copa del Rey won by FC Barcelona in 1978. ... The Supercopa de España is a Spanish football championship contested by the winners of the La Liga and the Copa del Rey. ... UEFA Champions League, which replaced the European Champions Cup, is a seasonal club football competition organised by UEFA since 1992 for the most successful football clubs in Europe. ... The UEFA Cup Winners Cup (also known as the European Cup Winners Cup) was a football club competition contested annually by the most recent winners of all European domestic cup competitions. ... The Inter-Cities Fairs Cup was a European football competition played between 1955 and 1971. ... The European Super Cup (UEFA Super Cup) is at stake in an annual football game between the reigning champions of the UEFA Cup(formally UEFA Cup Winners Cup) and the Champions League. ...

The club's main stadium is the Camp Nou and the fans of FC Barcelona are known as culers or culés. In Spain, about 25% of the population are said to be Barça supporters^[1]. In June 2007, the number of socis (club members/owners) reached 156,366, while in June 2006 the number of penyes (officially-registered supporter clubs) reached 1782 worldwide. The Camp Nou (IPA: , Catalan for new field, often called the Nou Camp in both Spanish and English, sometimes erroneously spelt newcamp in English) is an association football stadium in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. ... The Supporters of FC Barcelona are known as culers. ... The Supporters of FC Barcelona are known as culers. ...

The club also operates a reserve team, FC Barcelona B, and four other professional sports teams, AXA FC Barcelona, FC Barcelona, FC Barcelona Futsal and FC Barcelona Sorli Discau that compete at basketball, handball, futsal and rink hockey respectively. Until 2007 there was also a youth team, FC Barcelona C. The Reserve team is what many european football clubs have as a backup behind their regular first team, its main purpose is to give young talented players a chance to prove themselves without risking them in more high profile matches with the main squad. ... FC Barcelona B is a Spanish football team. ... FC Barcelona Bàsquet, known for sponsorship reasons as AXA FC Barcelona, is a Spanish basketball team. ... FC Barcelona-Cifec is a Spanish handball team based in Barcelona, Catalonia. ... Futbol Club Barcelona Futsal is a futsal club, part of FC Barcelona club, based in Barcelona, city of the province of Barcelona in the autonomous community of Catalonia. ... FC Barcelona is a professional roller hockey team based in Barcelona, Catalonia. ... This article is about the sport. ... Handball player leaps towards the goal prior to throwing the ball, while the goalkeeper extends himself trying to stop it. ... Futsal in Germany Futsal is an indoor version of football (soccer). ... Rink hockey is a variant of Roller hockey and is one of the three most popular hockey variants, along with Field hockey and Ice Hockey. ... FC Barcelona C is a Spanish Catalan football team. ...

There are also a number of prominent amateur sports teams that compete at rugby union, women's football and wheelchair basketball. These include FCB Rugby and FC Barcelona-Institut Guttman. Other amateur teams represent the club at ice hockey, athletics, baseball, cycling, field hockey, figure skating, and volleyball. For other uses, see Rugby (disambiguation). ... Wheelchair basketball is a sport played primarily by people with disabilities. ... FCB Rugby is a Catalan rugby club founded in 1924. ... FC Barcelona-Institut Guttman is a Catalan wheelchair basketball team. ... Ice hockey, known simply as hockey in areas where it is more common than field hockey, is a team sport played on ice. ... A womens 400 m hurdles race on a typical outdoor red urethane track in the Helsinki Olympic Stadium in Finland. ... This article is about the sport. ... Cycling is the use of bicycles, or - less commonly - unicycles, tricycles, quadricycles and other similar wheeled human powered vehicles (HPVs) as a means of transport, a form of recreation or a sport. ... A game of field hockey in progress Field hockey is a popular sport for men, women and children in many countries around the world. ... Figure skating is an ice skating sporting event where individuals, mixed couples, or groups perform spins, jumps, and other moves on the ice, often to music. ... For the ball used in this sport, see Volleyball (ball). ...

During the 2006-07 season, FC Barcelona was the third richest club in the world with a revenue of €291.1 million.^[2][3] The Deloitte Football Money League is a ranking of football clubs by income. ...

History

This article or section may be slanted towards recent events. Please try to keep recent events in historical perspective. (January 2008)

Image File history File links Gnome_globe_current_event. ... Image File history File links Unbalanced_scales. ...

Early years (1899-1908)

The ad in Los Deportes

On 22 October 1899 Joan Gamper placed an advert in Los Deportes declaring his wish to form a football club. A positive response resulted in a meeting at the Gimnasio Solé on November 29. Eleven players attended: Walter Wild, Lluís d'Ossó, Bartomeu Terradas, Otto Kunzle, Otto Maier, Enric Ducal, Pere Cabot, Carles Pujol, Josep Llobet, John Parsons and William Parsons. As a result Foot-Ball Club Barcelona was born. Several other Spanish football clubs, most notably Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao, also had British founders, and as a result they initially adopted English-style names. Image File history File links Futbol_club_barcelona_-_notas_de_sport. ... Image File history File links Futbol_club_barcelona_-_notas_de_sport. ... is the 295th day of the year (296th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1899 (MDCCCXCIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday [1] of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Joan Gamper (born Winterthur, Switzerland, November 22, 1877, died July 30, 1930, Switzerland) also known as Joan Kamper, Hans Gamper and Hans Kamper) was a football pioneer, player and club president. ... is the 333rd day of the year (334th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Real Madrid redirects here. ... Athletic Club is a Spanish football club from Bilbao in Biscay, Basque Country, Spain. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ...

Legend has it that Gamper was inspired to choose the club colours, blaugrana, by FC Basel's crest. However, the other Swiss teams Gamper played for, his home canton of Zurich, and Merchant Taylors' School in Crosby, England have all been credited with or claimed to be the inspiration.^{[citation needed]} Current season FC Basel (short for Footballclub Basel) is a Swiss football club based in Basel. ... Location within Switzerland   Zürich[?] (German pronunciation IPA: ; usually spelled Zurich in English) is the largest city in Switzerland (population: 366,145 in 2004; population of urban area: 1,091,732) and capital of the canton of Zürich. ... See also Merchant Taylors School, Northwood. ... For other uses, see Crosby. ...

FC Barcelona quickly emerged as one of the leading clubs of both Catalonia and Spain, competing in both the Campeonato de Cataluña and the Copa del Rey. In 1902, the club won its first trophy, the Copa Macaya, and also played in the first Copa del Rey final, losing 2-1 to Club Vizcaya. Football in Catalonia. ... Catalan football champions. ... Copa del Rey won by FC Barcelona in 1978. ... Catalan football champions. ... Copa del Rey won by FC Barcelona in 1978. ... Athletic Club is a Spanish football club from Bilbao in Biscay, Basque Country, Spain. ...

With Gamper's seal (1908-1923)

In 1908 Joan Gamper became club president for the first time. Gamper took over the presidency as the club was on the verge of folding. The club had not won anything since the Campeonato de Cataluña of 1905 and its finances suffered as a result. Gamper was subsequently club president on five separate occasions between 1908 and 1925 and spent 25 years at the helm. One of his main achievements was to help Barça acquire its own stadium. Joan Gamper (born Winterthur, Switzerland, November 22, 1877, died July 30, 1930, Switzerland) also known as Joan Kamper, Hans Gamper and Hans Kamper) was a football pioneer, player and club president. ... Catalan football champions. ...

On March 14, 1909, it moved into the Carrer Indústria, a stadium with a capacity of 8,000. Gamper also launched a campaign to recruit more club members and by 1922 the club had over 10,000. This led to the club moving again, this time to Las Cortes, which inaugurated in the same year. This stadium had an initial capacity of 22,000, later expanded to an impressive 60,000. is the 73rd day of the year (74th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1909 (MCMIX) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Camp de Les Corts, commonly referred to as Les Corts was a multi-use stadium in Barcelona, Spain. ...

Gamper also recruited Paulino Alcántara, the club's all time top-scorer with 356 goals, and in 1917 appointed Jack Greenwell as manager. This saw the club's fortunes begin to improve on the field. During the Gamper era FC Barcelona won eleven Campeonato de Cataluña, six Copa del Rey and four Coupe de Pyrenées and enjoyed its first "golden age." As well as Alcántara the Barça team under Greenwall also included Sagi-Barba, Ricardo Zamora, Josep Samitier, Félix Sesúmaga and Franz Platko. Paulino Alcántara Riestrá (born October 7, 1896, Iloilo City, Philippines - died February 13, 1964, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain) was a former Filipino / Spanish football player and manager who spent most of his playing career at FC Barcelona. ... Jack Greenwell (born County Durham, England) is a former English footballer and manager. ... Copa del Rey won by FC Barcelona in 1978. ... FC Barcelona in Europe is an article about FC Barcelona and their record in European football competitions. ... Emilio Sagi Liñan (born Bolívar Partido, Buenos Aires, Argentina, March 15, 1900; died Barcelona, May 25, 1951), was a Spanish/Catalan footballer who played as a left-winger during the 1920s and 1930s. ... Ricardo Zamora Martínez (Barcelona, January 21, 1901 – Barcelona, September 15, 1978) was a Spanish football player nicknamed el Divino. He was a goalkeeper who played 46 times for Spain. ... Josep Samitier Vilalta (b. ... Félix Sesúmaga Ugarte (born October 12th 1898, Lejona, Vizcaya) was a Spanish footballer during the 1910s and the 1920s. ... Franz Platko Kopiletz (born Budapest, Hungary, December 2, 1898, died Santiago, Chile, September 2, 1982), also known as Ferenc Platko or Francisco Platko, was a Hungarian footballer and manager. ...

Rivera, Republic and Civil War (1923-1939)

In the middle of the glorious 1920s, Barça suffered from non-sporting conflicts which were to mark the following decade. On 14 June 1925, the crowd at a game in homage to the Orfeó Català jeered the Royal March, a spontaneous reaction against Primo de Rivera's dictatorship. As a reprisal the ground closed for six months, later reduced to three, and forced Gamper to give up the presidency of the club. The club's founder, after a period of depression brought on by personal and money problems committed suicide on July 30, 1930. is the 165th day of the year (166th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1925 (MCMXXV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... (The Royal March) is the national anthem of Spain. ... Primo de Rivera may refer to: Miguel Primo de Rivera y Orbaneja, dictator of Spain from September 23 1923 to 1930, or his son, José Antonio Primo de Rivera, the lawyer and son of Miguel Primo de Rivera who founded the extreme right-wing party Falange. ... Forms of government Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box:      A dictatorship is an autocratic form of government in which the government is ruled by a dictator. ... is the 211th day of the year (212th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1930 (MCMXXX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display 1930 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Although they continued to have players of the standing of Josep Escolà, the club now entered a period of decline, in which political conflict overshadowed sport throughout society. Barça faced a crisis on three fronts: financial, social, with the number of members dropping constantly, and sporting, where although the team won the Campionat de Catalunya in 1930, 1931, 1932, 1934, 1936 and 1938, success at Spanish level (with the exception of the 1937 disputed title) evaded them. Josep Escolà Segalés (born August 28, 1914, Barcelona, Catalonia; died in 1998), also referred to as José Escolà, is a former Spanish Catalan footballer who spent most of his career at FC Barcelona. ... Catalan football champions. ... The Mediterranean League, also referred to as the Lliga Mediterranean (Catalan), the Liga Mediterránea (Spanish) or La Liga del Mediterráneo, was a football league played in the Republican area of Spain during the Spanish Civil War. ...

A month after the civil war began, Barça's left-wing president Josep Sunyol was murdered by Francisco Franco's soldiers near to Guadalajara. In the summer of 1937, the squad was on a tour in Mexico and USA in which it was received as an ambassador of the fighting Second Spanish Republic. That travel proved the financial saving of the club and also resulted in half the team seeking exile in Mexico and France. On 16 March 1938, the fascists dropped a bomb on the club's social club and caused big damages. A few months later, Barcelona was under fascist occupation and as a symbol of the 'undisciplined' Catalanism, the club, now down to just 3,486 members, was facing a number of serious problems. This article is about the definition of the specific type of war. ... In politics, left-wing, political left, leftism, or simply the left, are terms which refer (with no particular precision) to the segment of the political spectrum typically associated with any of several strains of socialism, social democracy, or liberalism (especially in the American sense of the word), or with opposition... Josep Suñol i Garriga (July 21, 1898-August 6, 1936), also known as Josep Sunyol, was a Catalan lawyer, journalist, politician and president of FC Barcelona. ... Francisco Paulino Hermenegildo Teódulo Franco y Bahamonde (December 4, 1892 - November 20, 1975), commonly known as Francisco Franco (pronounced ) or Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was leader of Spain from October 1936, as regent of Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in 1975. ... Location Coordinates: Country Spain Autonomous Community Castile-La Mancha Province Guadalajara Tows 5 (Guadalajara, Iriépal, Taracena, Usanos & Valdenoches) Founded 8th century, probably, by moors Government  - Mayor Jesús Alique (PSOE) Area  - Land 236 km² (91. ... Anthem El Himno de Riego Capital Madrid Language(s) Spanish Government Republic President  - 1931–1936 Niceto Alcalá-Zamora  - 1936–1939 Manuel Azaña Legislature Congress of Deputies Historical era Interwar period  - Monarchy abolished April 14, 1931  - Spanish Civil War 1936–1939  - Republic in exile dissolved July 15, 1977 Currency Spanish... is the 75th day of the year (76th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1938 (MCMXXXVIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Benito Mussolini and Adolf Hitler Fascism (in Italian, fascismo), capitalized, refers to the right-wing authoritarian political movement which ruled Italy from 1922 to 1943 under the leadership of Benito Mussolini. ... Catalan nationalism, or Catalanism, is a political movement that advocates for the political autonomy of Catalonia or the Catalan Countries, and in some cases, independence from Spain and France. ...

Club de Fútbol Barcelona (1939-1974)

After the Spanish Civil War, the Catalan language and flag were banned and football clubs were prohibited from using non-Spanish names. These measures led to the club having its name forcibly changed to Club de Fútbol Barcelona and the removal of the Catalan flag from the club shield. During the Franco dictatorship one of the few places that Catalan could be spoken freely was within the club's stadium. Not to be confused with the Spanish Civil War of 1820-1823. ... Catalan IPA: (català IPA: or []) is a Romance language, the national language of Andorra, and a co-official language in the Spanish autonomous communities of Balearic Islands, Catalonia and Valencia, and in the city of LAlguer in the Italian island of Sardinia. ... For the town in the province of Valencia, see Senyera, Valencia. ... Different flags of territories of the former Crown of Aragon are based upon the Senyera. ... Francism redirects here. ... Catalan IPA: (català IPA: or []) is a Romance language, the national language of Andorra, and a co-official language in the Spanish autonomous communities of Balearic Islands, Catalonia and Valencia, and in the city of LAlguer in the Italian island of Sardinia. ...

In 1943, at Les Corts, for the first leg of the semi-finals of the Copa del Generalísimo against Real Madrid, the result was a 3-0 win for Barça. Before the second leg, Barcelona's players had a changing room visit from Franco's director of state security. He 'reminded' them that they were only playing due to the 'generosity of the regime'. Madrid side won that game 11-1.^[4] Camp de Les Corts, commonly referred to as Les Corts, was a sports stadium in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. ... The Copa del Rey is an annual cup competition for Spanish football teams. ... Real Madrid Club de Fútbol is a Spanish sports club most widely known for its professional football team based in Madrid. ... FC Barcelona, also known as Barça, is a sports club in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain with sections in many different sports. ... // Franco may refer to: Franco is a common surname in Portuguese and Spanish which derives from the word Frank, in reference to the Germanic tribe of the Franks, who invaded the modern-day France during the Migration period[1]. Political figures Francisco Franco, Spanish head of state. ... The Spanish Civil War officially ended on 1 April 1939, the day that dictator Francisco Franco announced the end of hostilities. ...

Despite the difficult political situation, CF Barcelona enjoyed considerable success during the 1940s and 1950s. In 1945, with Josep Samitier as coach and players like César, Ramallets and Velasco, they won La Liga for first time since 1929. They added two more titles in 1948 and 1949. In 1949 they also won the first Copa Latina. Coach Fernando Daucik and Ladislao Kubala, regarded by many as the club's best ever player, inspired the team to five different trophies including La Liga, the Copa del Generalísimo, the Copa Latina, the Copa Eva Duarte and the Copa Martini Rossi in 1952. In 1953 they helped the club win La Liga and the Copa del Generalísimo again. The club also won the Copa del Generalísimo in 1957 and the Fairs Cup in 1958. Josep Samitier Vilalta (b. ... César Rodríguez Álvarez (born June 29, 1920, León, Spain; died 1995), also referred to as César, is a former Spanish Catalan footballer and manager. ... Toni Ramallets Antoni Ramallets Simón, (born 04 June 1924 in Barcelona) was a Catalan/Spanish football (soccer) goalkeeper, who played for CE Europa, San Fernando, RCD Mallorca, Real Valladolid and, most important, FC Barcelona. ... Velasco, full name Juan Zambudio Velasco, (born 1921 in La Alquería, Murcia and dead 21 January of 2004 in Barcelona) was a Spanish football (soccer) goalkeeper, who played for Mollet and FC Barcelona. ... (Professional Football League), commonly known as the Primera División or simply La Liga or Liga BBVA[1], is the top professional football league in Spain. ... The Latin Cup was an international football tournament for club sides from France, Italy, Spain and Portugal. ... Fernando Daucik ( born 1910, Czechoslovakia), also known as Ferdinand Daucik, was a professional football player and manager. ... Ladislao Kubala Stecz (born June 10, 1927, Budapest; died May 17, 2002, Barcelona), also referred to as Kubala László or Ladislav Kubala, is a former footballer and manager who played as a forward with various European clubs including Ferencváros TC, Å K Slovan Bratislava, Vasas SC, CF Barcelona and... (Professional Football League), commonly known as the Primera División or simply La Liga or Liga BBVA[1], is the top professional football league in Spain. ... Copa del Rey won by FC Barcelona in 1978. ... The Latin Cup was an international football tournament for club sides from France, Italy, Spain and Portugal. ... The Supercopa de España is a Spanish football championship contested by the winners of the La Liga and the Copa del Rey. ... The Inter-Cities Fairs Cup was a European football competition played between 1955 and 1971. ...

With Helenio Herrera as coach, a young Luis Suárez, the European Footballer of the Year in 1960, and two influential Hungarians recommended by Kubala, Sándor Kocsis and Zoltán Czibor, the team won another national double in 1959 and a La Liga/Fairs Cup double in 1960. In 1961 they became the first club to beat Real Madrid in a European Cup eliminatory, thus ending their monopoly of the competition. To little avail, anyway- they lost 3-2 to Benfica in the final. Helenio Herrera, (born April 17, 1916 in Buenos Aires; died November 9, 1997 in Venice) was a football defender and after ending his playing carrer became one of the most influencial managers in the history of the game. ... Luis Suárez Miramontes (born May 2, 1935, La Coruña, Galicia) is a former Spanish footballer and manager. ... The Ballon dOr trophy, as awarded to Hristo Stoichkov in 1994. ... Sándor Kocsis Peter (born Budapest, Hungary, September 21, 1929; died Barcelona, July 22, 1979), also referred to as Kocsis Sándor, was a Hungarian footballer who played for Ferencváros TC, Budapest Honvéd, Young Fellows Zürich, CF Barcelona and Hungary. ... Zoltán Czibor (23 August 1929 - 1 September 1997) was a Hungarian footballer from the Magic Magyars era. ... Real Madrid redirects here. ... The season 1960-61 of the European Cup football club tournament was won by SL Benfica for the first time in a tight final against FC Barcelona. ...

The 1960s were less successful for the club, with Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid monopolising La Liga. The completion of the Camp Nou, finished in 1957, meant the club had little money to spend on new players. However the decade also saw the emergence of Josep Fusté and Carles Rexach and the club winning the Copa del Generalísimo in 1963 and the Fairs Cup in 1966. Barça restored some pride by beating Real Madrid 1-0 in the 1968 Copa del Generalísimo final at the Bernabéu. The club changed its official name back to Futbol Club Barcelona in 1974.[2] Club Atlético de Madrid (often misspelled Athletico Madrid) is a Spanish football club based in Madrid who play in the Primera División of La Liga. ... The Camp Nou (IPA: , Catalan for new field, often called the Nou Camp in both Spanish and English, sometimes erroneously spelt newcamp in English) is an association football stadium in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. ... Josep María Fusté Blanch (born Liñola, Lleida, April 15, 1941), was a Spanish/Catalan footballer and captain of CF Barcelona during the 1960s and early 1970s. ... Carles Rexach Cerdà (born Pedralbes, Barcelona, January 13, 1947 ), also referred to as Charly Rexach or Carlos Rexach, is a Spanish footballer and manager. ... Real Madrid redirects here. ... The Santiago Bernabéu is a football stadium in Madrid, Spain. ...

Cruyff's first pass (1974-1978)

The 1973/74 season saw the arrival, as player, of a new Barça legend – Johan Cruyff. Already an established player with Ajax, Cruyff quickly won over the Barça fans when he told the European press he chose Barça over Real Madrid because he could not play for a club associated with Franco.^[5][6] He further endeared himself when he chose a Catalan name, Jordi, for his son. He helped the club win La Liga for the first time since 1960, along the way defeating Real Madrid 5-0 at the Bernabéu. He was also crowned European Footballer of the Year in his first year at the club. Johan Cruijff Johan Cruijff (born April 25, 1947 in Amsterdam) is a Dutch football trainer/coach and former star player. ... Amsterdamsche Football Club Ajax (Euronext: AJAX) also referred to as Ajax Amsterdam, AFC Ajax, or simply Ajax (pronounced /ˈʌɪjaks/), is a professional football club from Amsterdam, Netherlands. ... Johan Cruijff Johan Cruijff (born April 25, 1947 in Amsterdam) is a Dutch football trainer/coach and former star player. ... Francisco Paulino Hermenegildo Teódulo Franco y Bahamonde (December 4, 1892 - November 20, 1975), commonly known as Francisco Franco (pronounced ) or Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was leader of Spain from October 1936, as regent of Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in 1975. ... Jordi Cruyff (born February 9, 1974 in Amsterdam), is a professional football player. ... Real Madrid redirects here. ... The Santiago Bernabéu is a football stadium in Madrid, Spain. ... The Ballon dOr trophy, as awarded to Hristo Stoichkov in 1994. ...

The Núñez era (1978-2000)

Josep Lluís Núñez was elected president of FC Barcelona in 1978. His main objectives were to establish Barça as a world-class sports club and to give the club financial stability. Besides, in 1979 and 1982 the club won two of four European Cup Winners' Cups won in the Núñez era. Josep Lluís Núñez Clemente (born on September 7, 1921 at Barakaldo) was president of FC Barcelona between 1978 and 2000. ... The UEFA Cup Winners Cup (also known as the European Cup Winners Cup) was a football club competition contested annually by the most recent winners of all European domestic cup competitions. ...

In June 1982 Diego Maradona was signed for a world record fee from Boca Juniors. In the following season, under coach César Luis Menotti, Barcelona and Maradona in an unforgettable final won the Copa del Rey, beating Real Madrid. However Diego's time with Barça was short-lived and he soon left for Napoli. At the start of the 1984/85 season, Terry Venables was hired as manager and he won La Liga with stellar displays by German midfielder Bernd Schuster. The next season, he took the team to their second European Cup final, only to lose on penalties to Steaua Bucureşti during a dramatic evening in Seville. Maradona redirects here. ... Boca Juniors redirects here. ... César Luis Menotti, known as El Flaco (the skinny one) (born November 5, 1938 in Rosario) is an Argentine football (soccer) coach and former player. ... Copa del Rey won by FC Barcelona in 1978. ... Società Sportiva Calcio Napoli, commonly referred to as simply Napoli or the abbreviation SSC Napoli, is an Italian professional football club based in Naples, Campania that was originally founded in 1904. ... Terence Frederick Terry Venables (born 6 January 1943 in Dagenham, London) is an English football manager and former player. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The season 1985-86 of the European Cup football club tournament was won by Steaua BucureÅŸti on penalties in a final against FC Barcelona. ... FC Steaua BucureÅŸti is a Romanian football club based at Ghencea Stadium, Bucharest, Romania. ... For other uses, see Seville (disambiguation). ...

After the 1986 World Cup, English top scorer Gary Lineker was signed along with goalkeeper Andoni Zubizarreta but the team could not achieve success while Schuster was excluded from the team. Terry Venables was subsequently fired at the beginning of the 1987/88 season and replaced with Luis Aragonés. That season finished with a rebellion of the players against president Núñez known as the Motín del Hesperia and the 1-0 victory at the Copa del Rey final against Real Sociedad. The 1986 Football World Cup was held in Mexico from May 31 to June 29. ... Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Gary Lineker Gary Winston[1] Lineker, OBE (born 30 November 1960 in Leicester) is a former English international football striker who scored ten goals in two World Cups for the England national team and is currently a sports broadcaster for the BBC... Andoni Zubizarreta Urreta (born October 23, 1961 in Vitoria-Gasteiz (Araba) is a former Spanish football goalkeeper, and the all-time most capped player for the Spanish national team. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... José Luis Aragonés Suárez (born July 28th, 1938, Hortaleza, Madrid), sometimes referred to as simply Luis, is a former Spanish footballer and national coach, and currently the coach of Fenerbahçe S.K.. Aragonés has spent the majority of his career as a player and coach at... Josep Lluís Núñez Clemente (born on September 7, 1921 at Barakaldo) was president of FC Barcelona between 1978 and 2000. ... Copa del Rey won by FC Barcelona in 1978. ... Real Sociedad is a Spanish football club from the Basque city of San Sebastián/Donostia in Guipúzcoa/Gipuzkoa. ...

In 1988 Johan Cruyff returned to the club as manager and assembled the so-called Dream Team, named after the US basketball team that played at the 1992 Summer Olympics hosted by Barcelona. He introduced players like Josep Guardiola, José Mari Bakero, Txiki Beguiristáin, Jon Andoni Goikoetxea, Gheorghe Hagi, Ronald Koeman, Michael Laudrup, Romário and Hristo Stoichkov. Johan Cruijff Johan Cruijff (born April 25, 1947 in Amsterdam) is a Dutch football trainer/coach and former star player. ... The 92 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were held in 1992 in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. ... Location Coordinates : Time Zone : CET (GMT +1) - summer: CEST (GMT +2) General information Native name Barcelona (Catalan) Spanish name Barcelona Nickname Ciutat Comtal (City of Counts) Postal code 08001–08080 Area code 34 (Spain) + 93 (Barcelona) Website http://www. ... Josep Guardiola Sala, pron. ... José María Bakero Escudero (born in Goizueta, Navarre, February 11th 1963) was a Spanish footballer during the 1980s and 1990s. ... Aitor Beguiristáin Mújica (born Olaberria, Guipuzcoa, August 12, 1964), commonly referred to Txiki Beguiristáin, was a Basque footballer during the 1980s and 1990s. ... Ion Andoni Goikoetxea Lasa (b. ... Gheorghe Hagi , (born February 5, 1965 in Săcele, ConstanÅ£a), is a Romanian former football player of Aromanian descent. ... Ronald Koeman (born March 21, 1963 in Zaandam) is a former Dutch football defender and current manager of PSV Eindhoven. ... Michael Laudrup (born June 15, 1964) is a Danish former professional football player. ... Romário de Souza Faria (born January 29, 1966), better known simply as Romário, is a Brazilian legendary football center forward who helped the Brazil national team win the 1994 FIFA World Cup and has been one of the most prolific strikers in the world since the 1990s, having... Hristo Stoichkov alternatively spelt Stoitchkov (Bulgarian: ) (born February 8, 1966, in Plovdiv, Bulgaria) is a football manager and former striker who was a member of the Bulgaria national team that finished fourth at the 1994 FIFA World Cup. ...

Under Cruyff's guidance, Barcelona won four consecutive La Liga titles from 1991 to 1994. They beat Sampdoria in both the 1989 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup final and the 1992 European Cup final at Wembley with a legendary free kick goal from Dutch international Ronald Koeman. They also won a Copa del Rey in 1990, the European Super Cup in 1992 and three Supercopa de España. With 11 trophies, Cruijff became the club's most successful manager to date. He also became the club's longest serving manager. However, in his final two seasons, he failed to win any trophies (not to mention the disastrous 4-0 defeat in the UEFA Champions League 1994 final against AC Milan) and fell out with president Núñez, resulting in Cruijff's departure. (Professional Football League), commonly known as the Primera División or simply La Liga or Liga BBVA[1], is the top professional football league in Spain. ... Unione Calcio Sampdoria (commonly nicknamed Blucerchiati, blue-ringed) is a football club based in Genoa, Italy. ... The season 1988-89 of the European Cup Winners Cup was won for the third time by FC Barcelona in the final against Italian entrants U.C. Sampdoria. ... The season 1991-92 of the European Cup football club tournament was won for the first time by FC Barcelona after extra time in the final against U.C. Sampdoria. ... For the new stadium, see Wembley Stadium. ... Ronald Koeman (born March 21, 1963 in Zaandam) is a former Dutch football defender and current manager of PSV Eindhoven. ... Copa del Rey won by FC Barcelona in 1978. ... The European Super Cup (UEFA Super Cup) is at stake in an annual football game between the reigning champions of the UEFA Cup(formally UEFA Cup Winners Cup) and the Champions League. ... The Supercopa de España is a Spanish football championship contested by the winners of the La Liga and the Copa del Rey. ... UEFA Champions League, which replaced the European Champions Cup, is a seasonal club football competition organised by UEFA since 1992 for the most successful football clubs in Europe. ... AC Milan is an Italian football club. ... Josep Lluís Núñez Clemente (born on September 7, 1921 at Barakaldo) was president of FC Barcelona between 1978 and 2000. ...

Cruijff was briefly replaced by Bobby Robson who took charge of the club for a single season in 1996/97. He is quoted as saying, "Catalonia is a country and FC Barcelona is their army". He recruited Ronaldo from his previous club, PSV Eindhoven and delivered a cup treble winning the Copa del Rey, UEFA Cup Winners Cup and the Supercopa de España. Despite his success, Robson was only ever seen as a short-term solution while the club waited for Louis van Gaal to become available. Sir Robert William Robson, Kt, CBE (born 18 February 1933), commonly known as Bobby Robson (IPA: ), is a former international football player and former manager of several European clubs and the England national football team. ... Ronaldo Luis Nazário de Lima (born September 22, 1976), is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Brazil and the Italian Serie A club AC Milan. ... Philips Sport Vereniging (English: Philips Sports Union), widely known either as PSV or PSV Eindhoven, is a sports club from Eindhoven, Netherlands. ... Copa del Rey won by FC Barcelona in 1978. ... The season 1994-95 of the European Cup Winners Cup was won by Paris Saint-Germain in the final against Austrian entrants SK Rapid Wien. ... The Supercopa de España is a Spanish football championship contested by the winners of the La Liga and the Copa del Rey. ... Aloysius Paulus Maria (Louis) van Gaal (born August 8, 1951 in Amsterdam) is a Dutch football manager currently in charge of AZ Alkmaar in the Dutch Eredivisie. ...

Like Maradona, Ronaldo only stayed a short time and he left for Inter Milan. However, new heroes such as Luís Figo, Giovanni Silva De Oliveira, Luis Enrique Martínez and Rivaldo emerged and the team won a Copa del Rey/La Liga double in 1998. In 1999 the club celebrated its 'centenari' winning the Primera División title and Rivaldo became the fourth Barça player to be awarded European Footballer of the Year. Despite this domestic success, the failure to emulate Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League led to van Gaal and Núñez resigning in 2000. Maradona redirects here. ... Ronaldo Luis Nazário de Lima (born September 22, 1976), is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a striker for Brazil and the Italian Serie A club AC Milan. ... Football Club Internazionale Milano, commonly referred to as simply Internazionale, Inter or Inter Milan[1], is an Italian professional football club based in Milan, Lombardy, founded in 1908. ... Luís Filipe Madeira Caeiro Figo, (born 4 November 1972 in Almada, Portugal) is a professional Portuguese footballer. ... Giovanni Silva de Oliveira (born February 4, 1972), better known as Giovanni, is a football player from Brazil. ... Luis Enrique Martínez García (born May 8, 1970 in Gijon) is a Spanish football player. ... Vítor Borba Ferreira (born April 19, 1972 in Paulista, Pernambuco), commonly known as Rivaldo, is regarded as one of the best Brazilian professional football players of all time, currently playing for AEK Athens in the Super League Greece. ... Copa del Rey won by FC Barcelona in 1978. ... (Professional Football League), commonly known as the Primera División or simply La Liga or Liga BBVA[1], is the top professional football league in Spain. ... Liga de Fútbol Profesional The Spanish football league is called La Liga. ... Vítor Borba Ferreira (born April 19, 1972 in Paulista, Pernambuco), commonly known as Rivaldo, is regarded as one of the best Brazilian professional football players of all time, currently playing for AEK Athens in the Super League Greece. ... The Ballon dOr trophy, as awarded to Hristo Stoichkov in 1994. ... Real Madrid Club de Fútbol is a Spanish sports club most widely known for its professional football team based in Madrid. ... UEFA Champions League, which replaced the European Champions Cup, is a seasonal club football competition organised by UEFA since 1992 for the most successful football clubs in Europe. ... Aloysius Paulus Maria (Louis) van Gaal (born August 8, 1951 in Amsterdam) is a Dutch football manager currently in charge of AZ Alkmaar in the Dutch Eredivisie. ... Josep Lluís Núñez Clemente (born on September 7, 1921 at Barakaldo) was president of FC Barcelona between 1978 and 2000. ...

Gaspart's decline period (2000-2003)

The departures of Núñez and Van Gaal were nothing compared to that of Luís Figo. As well as club vice-captain, Figo had become a cult hero and was considered by Catalans to be one of their own. So the Barça fans were distraught by Figo’s decision to join arch-rivals Real Madrid and during subsequent visits to the Camp Nou Figo was given an extremely hostile reception, including one occasion when a piglet's head was thrown at him from the crowd. The next three years saw the club in decline and managers came and went, including a short second spell by Louis van Gaal. President Gaspart did not inspire confidence off the field either and in 2003 he and Van Gaal resigned. Luís Filipe Madeira Caeiro Figo, (born 4 November 1972 in Almada, Portugal) is a professional Portuguese footballer. ... Real Madrid Club de Fútbol is a Spanish sports club most widely known for its professional football team based in Madrid. ... The Camp Nou (IPA: , Catalan for new field, often called the Nou Camp in both Spanish and English, sometimes erroneously spelt newcamp in English) is an association football stadium in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. ... Joan Gaspart (October 11, 1944) is a Catalan businessman and a former FC Barcelona president between July 2000 and February 2003. ...

The Laporta era (2003-present)

This article may be too long. Please discuss this issue on the talk page, if necessary split the content into subarticles and keep this article in a summary style.

Joan Laporta

Barcelona and Arsenal players line up before the Champions League Final kick off in 2006

Victorious Barca players collect their winners medals after beating Arsenal in the 2006 Champions League Final

After the disappointment of the Gaspart era, the combination of a new young president Joan Laporta and a young new manager, former Dutch and AC Milan star Frank Rijkaard, saw the club bounce back. On the field, an influx international players, including Ronaldinho, Deco, Samuel Eto'o, Rafael Márquez, Lionel Messi, combined with a nucleus of home grown and Spanish players such as Carles Puyol, Andrés Iniesta, Xavi and Víctor Valdés led to the club's return to success. Arsenal Football Club (also known as Arsenal, The Arsenal or The Gunners) are an English professional football club based in Holloway, north London. ... The 2006 UEFA Champions League Final took place at the Stade de France in Paris on 17 May, 2006. ... Joan Laporta i Estruch (born June 29, 1962 in Barcelona, Spain) is the president of Futbol Club Barcelona since 2003. ... AC Milan is an Italian football club. ... Franklin Edmundo Rijkaard (born September 30, 1962 in Amsterdam) is a Dutch football manager and former player. ... For other persons named Ronaldinho, see Ronaldinho (disambiguation). ... Anderson Luis de Souza, OIH (born August 27, 1977 in São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil) is a professional Portuguese Brazilian footballer widely known as Deco [Portuguese]. He plays internationally for Portugal and for FC Barcelona at club level. ... Samuel Etoo Fils (born March 10, 1981 in Douala) is a Cameroonian football striker who currently plays for F.C. Barcelona. ... This article is about mexican footballer who currently plays for FC Barcelona. ... Lionel Andrés Messi (born June 24, 1987 in Rosario) is an Argentine professional footballer who currently plays for FC Barcelona in the Spanish Primera División. ... Carles Puyol i Saforcada (born in April 13, 1978 in La Pobla de Segur, Lérida, Catalonia, Spain) is a Catalan footballer who is the current team captain of FC Barcelona. ... Andrés Iniesta Luján (born May 11, 1984 in Fuentealbilla, Albacete) is a Spanish midfielder currently playing for Barcelona. ... Xavier Hernández Creus (born January 25, 1980, Terrassa, Catalonia, Spain), commonly known as Xavi is a Spanish footballer who plays in central midfield for Barcelona. ... Víctor Valdés Arribas (born January 14, 1982 in LHospitalet de Llobregat, Catalonia), grown in Gavà, is a Spanish football goalkeeper, who currently plays for FC Barcelona of the Spanish La Liga. ...

In the 2004/05 season, Barça were crowned champions of La Liga, and stars Ronaldinho and Eto'o were voted first and third in the FIFA World Player of the Year awards. Barça also won the Supercopa de España, with a victory over Real Betis. In the UEFA Champions League 2004-05 Barça were eliminated by Chelsea F.C. 5-4 on aggregate. The Supercopa de España is a Spanish football championship contested by the winners of the La Liga and the Copa del Rey. ... Real Betis Balompié is a Spanish football club in Seville founded in 1907. ... The 2004-05 UEFA Champions League was the 50th season of UEFAs premier European club football tournament, and the 13th since it was rebranded as the UEFA Champions League in 1992. ... Current season Chelsea Football Club, IPA: , (also known as The Blues or previously The Pensioners) are a professional English football club based in west London. ...

The 2005-06 season has been the pinnacle of the Laporta reign so far. In November 2005 Barça beat Real Madrid 3-0 at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in a match where Ronaldinho was so impressive that after his second, and Barça's third goal the Real Madrid fans felt compelled to applaud him. This match also gave Frank Rijkaard his second victory at the Bernabeu, making him the first Barça manager to win there twice. Barcelona went on to win the championship of La Liga with ease, as well as the Supercopa de España with a victory over city rivals Espanyol. The Santiago Bernabéu is a football stadium in Madrid, Spain. ... For other persons named Ronaldinho, see Ronaldinho (disambiguation). ... The Supercopa de España is a Spanish football championship contested by the winners of the La Liga and the Copa del Rey. ... RCD Espanyol de Barcelona (Catalan: Reial Club Esportiu Espanyol, Spanish: Real Club Deportivo Espanyol, English: Royal Spanish Sports Club) is a football club based in Barcelona, Spain. ...

In the